PubliCalendar: Civic Boot Camp and Presidential Jokes

Today's picks for civic nerds

Seattle City Club's Civic Boot Camp series will turn its eye toward the Seattle waterfront with a HistoryLink-guided tour of sites in and around Elliot Bay, followed by a luncheon with a panel of city leaders and the chance to create a civic plan in conjunction with fellow participants.

The day's events also include small group discussions of civic issues, a historical overview and tour of Pike Place Market, and a micro-grant writing exercise. Prepare to be better prepared to do your civic duties.

Think you know your city? Test your Seattle-navigation mettle with your team of two to four during CitySolve's fundraising scavenger hunt downtown.

Given clues and hurdles, teams will compete for the $300 prize by completing the scavenger hunt and returning to the starting line at 88 Keys the fastest. It's not all fun and games, though; proceeds from entry fees go directly to support One Brick Seattle, an organization that supports local non-profits.

If you've ever dreamed of competing in The Amazing Race, but wished that your efforts would benefit the city of Seattle instead of a television conglomerate, this is the event you've been waiting for. Tickets are $50 online, $60 on August 8, and $65 if purchased the day of.

The time to mount your bike has passed, but there still is a chance to get involved with Fred Hutch’s bike ride fundraiser. Don your orange and come out to Magnuson Park to support the cyclists who are doing their part in the fight against cancer. Volunteers are still needed at the finish line so be sure to contact volunteer@obliteride.org if you’re interested.

Every penny donated is going to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Donate if you can, but at the very least head over to the closing celebration and tell the cyclists how good their calves look.

The unofficial holiday is not at the expense of our past presidents, but rather is honoring their sense of humor, and at times, lack thereof. The origins of this obscure holiday lay with none other than Ronald Reagan. The former president was testing his microphone for a radio interview and thinking that he wasn't live, causally made a joke about bombing the Soviet Union.